The Global Garlic Mustard Field Survey is a collaboration of scientists, students, conservationists, resource managers and 'amateur' scientists. Our goal is to collect high-quality data on the abundance and distribution of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in its native (Europe) and introduced (North America) ranges. This sampling protocol is designed to be simple and achieved with just a few hours of work, once populations have been located. It well help to fill an large gap in data on native and introduced plant populations.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Global Invasions NetworkRobert Colautti
Volunteer "Species Stewards" adopt one or more species of native prairie or savanna plants. On semi-monthly or more frequent visits, stewards log locations, bloom dates, and seed ripening dates, and collect seed to be used to restore additional prairie on old field sites. Additional opportunities for individual or group seed collection and sowing are provided. Buckthorn-busting is also available.
The Salt Marsh Program relies on trained volunteers who work side by side with salt marsh ecologists. We monitor tidally restricted salt marshes on Cape Cod, focusing on four areas of study: salinity, plants, birds and fish. Our goals are to: 1) increase awareness and stewardship of salt marshes through direct study of ecology and funtion; 2) build and maintain a skilled base of volunteer monitors; 3) obtain scientifically useful information on key indicators of salt marsh health; 4) document the need for and effectiveness of tidal restoration.
The Cricket and Katydid Crawl of New York City and Surrounds is a citizen science pilot project in which participants will venture out between dusk and midnight to locations of their choosing throughout the NYC metro area to listen for the calls of crickets and katydids and document their observations. Counts will be immediately text, emailed, or cell phoned in. An extended network of databasers will enter the data online, and maps and anlayses will be generated in near real time. By dawn we hope to have a series of reports generated by observers, artists, mathematicians, and citizens. Following the survey on September 11, 2009 we will document the event and provide advice for those who would like to replicate this event elsewhere. We will be doing this purposely without copyrights and without institutional funding...a wiki approach to a survey.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
USGSAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryAppalachian Mountain ClubProteus GowanusSam Droege
Operation Possum was a large-scale, community-based study of possums in South Australia. In 2008, Operation Possum collected data about possum species, how people manage possums, and participants’ attitudes towards possums, with a total of 2,234 online surveys completed from 462 different suburbs and towns. The conservation of wildlife living close to people can be complex, especially when the species behaves in ways that disturb or distress people, as possums certainly do. However, we found that a general admiration of possums, with a caveat regarding their less desirable behaviours, defined the relationship with these adorable yet troublesome marsupials: the paradox of the possum. Results from this project, including information about possums, stories submitted by participants, management strategies (and their effectiveness), and an introduction to Citizen Science, have been published as a book - The Possum-Tail Tree: Understanding Possums through Citizen Science.
CitSci.org is a website supporting citizens who monitor invasive species. CitSci.org provides a mapping program that allows citizens, school groups, and professionals to enter invasive species observations into a global database. The observations are then used for natural resource management, scientific studies, and environmental education. CitSci.org offers an opportunity for students and volunteers to perform field studies that contribute to our collective biological databases.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
National Institute of Invasive Species ScienceJames Graham
Mountain Birdwatch is a long-term monitoring program for Bicknell's Thrush and other montane forest birds. From the Catskills to Mount Katahdin, trained volunteers conduct dawn surveys along foot trails that pass through some of the region's most awe-inspiring forests. The typical time commitment is one to two mornings each June, with overnight camping recommended on remote routes. Participants receive training in bird identification, experience the thrill of alpine adventure, and help guide the stewardship of vulnerable mountain habitat.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Vermont Center for EcostudiesBird Studies CanadaCanadian Wildlife ServiceWhite Mountain National ForestJudith Scarl
Calflora is a web site you can use to learn about about plants that grow in the wild in California: both native plants and weeds. You can enter the common or scientific name of a plant to view an illustrated table of plants that match the name you entered. Click one of the plants in the table to learn a lot of detail about that plant, in particular, where it's been observed in California. You can also enter a place and get an illustrated list of the plants that grow "here". You define "here" by zip code, place name, or any of a number of other ways. Then click "Search for Plants" to get an illustrated list of plants.
Coastal breeding bird populations at Boston Harbor Islands, a National Park area, are monitored each spring and summer. Monitoring data helps park managers understand what species breed in Boston Harbor and correlate changes in coastal breeding bird populations with management actions. Boston Harbor Islands was designated as an Important Bird Area in 2002 and birdwatching is an important experience for many park visitors. This citizen-science monitoring program involves and engages the public in park stewardship. The information they gather helps to protect coastal breeding birds and their habitats.
Volunteer “Grunion Greeters” experience a grunion run and witness the remarkable behavior of the silvery little fish as they come completely ashore to spawn. Volunteers monitor local California beaches and collect basic information during a grunion run. The data are used by Pepperdine University researchers conducting studies on these charismatic fish and to ensure their protection on the beach.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Karen MartinNational Marine Fisheries Service
A BioBlitz is a rapid biological survey of a property in which as many species from as many taxonomic groups as possible are counted during a 24-hour period. It is used to provide a snapshot of wildlife in any area, and identify any rare or endangered species there. As a volunteer you would participate in training to learn how to collect data during the BioBlitz, and on the day of the event you work with experts to identify species. By participating in the BioBlitz, you get the opportunity to meet and spend time with people who are interested in the environment, and learn about critters in Wisconsin!
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Beaver Creek Reserve Citizen Science CenterSarah Braun
A citizen science project designed to monitor the distribution and abundance of bird species throughout the Fresno-Clovis Metro Area in the Central Valley of California.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
California State University, FresnoFresno Audubon SocietyMadhusudan Katti